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Abstract:

A mobile terminal includes a display unit to display information
processed by the mobile terminal, the display unit comprising a touch
panel; and a control unit to control the display to display first
information in a first direction if a first drag is detected and to
display second information in a second direction different from the first
direction while the first information is displayed if a second drag is
detected. An information display method for a mobile terminal includes
displaying first information in a first direction in response to a first
drag; and displaying second information in a second direction different
from the first direction in response to a second drag while the first
information is displayed.

Claims:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising: a display unit to display information
processed by the mobile terminal, the display unit comprising a touch
panel; and a control unit to control the display unit to display first
information in a first direction if a first drag is detected and to
display second information in a second direction different from the first
direction while the first information is displayed if a second drag is
detected.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the
second direction are determined by a direction of the first drag and the
second drag, respectively.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first direction and second
direction are axes of a three-dimensional space.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second information is
displayed on a first side of a single cube or a plurality of cubes, and
third information is displayed on a second side of the single cube or the
plurality of cubes.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the third information is
displayed on the second side of the single cube or the plurality of cubes
while the single cube or the plurality of cubes are rotated if a rotation
drag is detected.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second information is
displayed on a first portion of a three-dimensional rotation object and
third information is displayed on a second portion of the
three-dimensional rotation object.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the third information is
displayed on the second portion of the three-dimensional rotation object
while the three-dimensional rotation object is rotated if a rotation drag
is detected.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
displayed second information is not displayed if a third drag is detected
to display third information.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein third information is displayed
in a third direction different from the first and second directions.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first information is main
menu information and the second information is sub menu information
associated with a selected main menu information.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the
display unit to display an icon to execute an application associated with
the icon.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first information or
second information is displayed in an order set by a user.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first information or
second information is displayed according to an animation effect.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein control unit controls the
display unit to display third information in a third direction different
from the first direction and the second direction if a third drag is
detected.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the first information is
main menu information, the second information is sub menu information
associated with a selected main menu information of the first
information, and the third information is sub menu information associated
with a selected sub menu information of the second information.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first information and the
second information are rotated if a rotation drag is detected.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second information is
animated to extend in the second direction from the first information.

18. An information display method for a mobile terminal, the method
comprising: displaying first information in a first direction in response
to a first drag; and displaying second information in a second direction
different from the first direction in response to a second drag while the
first information is displayed.

19. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the first
direction and the second direction are respectively determined according
to directions of the first drag and the second drag.

20. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the first
direction and the second direction are axes of a three-dimensional space.

21. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of
the second information further comprises: displaying the second
information on a first side of a single cube or a plurality of cubes; and
displaying third information on a second side of the single cube or the
plurality of cubes in response to a third drag.

22. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of
the second information further comprises: displaying the second
information on a first portion of a three-dimensional rotation object;
and displaying third information on a second portion of the
three-dimensional rotation object in response to a third drag.

23. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of
the second information further comprises: displaying third information in
a third direction in response to a third drag and not displaying at least
a part of the displayed second information.

24. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of
the second information further comprises: displaying third information in
a third direction in an area in which the first information and the
second information are not displayed in response to a third drag.

25. The information display method of claim 18, wherein the first
information is main menu information, and the second information is sub
menu information associated with a selected main menu information of the
first information.

26. The information display method of claim 18, further comprising
displaying third information in a third direction different from the
first direction and the second direction in response to a third drag.

27. The information display method of claim 26, wherein the first
information is main menu information, and the second information is sub
menu information associated with a selected main menu information of the
first information, and the third information is sub menu information
associated with a selected sub menu information of the second
information.

28. The information display method of claim 18, further comprising
rotating the displayed first information and the displayed second
information in response to a rotation drag.

29. The information display method of claim 18, further comprising
animating the displaying of the second information, the animating
comprising extending the second information in the second direction from
the first information.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority from and the benefit under 35
U.S.C. §119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0008451,
filed on Jan. 29, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to a mobile terminal and an information
display method for the mobile terminal.

[0004] 2. Description of the Background

[0005] With the rapid development of the mobile communication technology
and related infrastructures, mobile terminals have been developed as
media for providing various services, is such as games, message
sending/reception, Internet search, wireless data communication, electric
organizers, digital cameras, video phone calls, voice phone calls, and
the like.

[0006] Recently, with the increased demands of users for improved service
qualities and functions, attempts have been made to enhance convenience
of users by providing graphical user interfaces (GUI) that are similar to
those adopted in personal computers (PC) and touch panels to mobile
terminals.

[0007] A mobile terminal having a touch panel accepts touch inputs via the
touch panel instead of a keypad that is generally used. The touch panel
generates a signal or a command in accordance with a predetermined
voltage or current signal at a position touched by a touch pen or a
finger. The touch panel has advantages in that the user can conveniently
input desired information using the pen or finger as an input unit.

[0008] However, the existing touch panel is simply used to serve as the
keypad of the mobile terminal and only has a limited function of
recognizing a command input by the user, and various applications for
enhancing the convenience of the user are needed.

SUMMARY

[0009] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile
terminal and an information display method using the mobile terminal,
which expands information displayed on the mobile terminal in a
three-dimensional or a radial pattern.

[0010] Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the
description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

[0011] An exemplary embodiment provides a mobile terminal including: a
display unit to display information processed by the mobile terminal, the
display unit comprising a touch panel; and a control unit to control the
display unit to display first information in a first direction if a first
drag is detected and to display second information in a second direction
different from the first direction while the first information is
displayed if a second drag is detected. An exemplary embodiment provides
an information display method for a mobile terminal, the method including
displaying first information in a first direction in response to a first
drag; and displaying second information in a second direction different
from the first direction in response to a second drag while the first
information is displayed.

[0012] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description
and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and
are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed
description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further
understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a
part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and
together with the description serve to explain the principles of the
invention.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile
terminal according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information in a three-dimensional pattern
according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information as rotatable cubes according to an
exemplary embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams illustrating display screens of a
mobile terminal that displays information in various manners according to
exemplary embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information having an animation effect according
to an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for displaying information for
the mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This
invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth
therein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this
disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of
well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily
obscuring the presented embodiments.

[0021] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this
disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are
intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly
indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the terms "a", "an", etc. do
not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at
least one of the referenced item. It will be further understood that the
terms "comprises" and/or "comprising", or "includes" and/or "including"
when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features,
regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do
not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,
regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups
thereof.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further
understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used
dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is
consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the
present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly
formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0023] In the drawings, like reference numerals denote like elements. The
shape, size, and regions, and the like, of the drawing may be exaggerated
for clarity.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile
terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, a
mobile terminal 100 includes a memory unit 110, a display unit 120, and a
control unit 130.

[0026] The display unit 120 displays information processed by the mobile
terminal 100. Specifically, the display unit 120 displays a user
interface and a graphic user interface included in the information
processed by the mobile terminal 100. The display unit 120 may be one of
a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal
display (TFT-LCD), a organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a
flexible display, and a three dimensional (3D) display. In addition, the
display unit 120 may include a touch panel to receive an input via a
touch while the display unit 120 displays the information processed by
the mobile terminal 100. The touch panel may convert a change in pressure
applied to a surface of the touch sensor or a change in electrostatic
capacity or the like that may occur at a particular site into an electric
input signal using a touch sensor to receive an external signal. The
touch sensor may be a touch film, a touch sheet, or a touchpad. The touch
sensor may detect a touch pressure, a movement of an object after a touch
is detected, a touch position, and a touch area. The signal sensed by the
touch sensor may be transmitted to a touch controller, and the touch
controller may transmit data processed from the sensed signal to the
control unit 130.

[0027] The control unit 130 generally controls operations of the mobile
terminal 100. For example, the control unit 130 may perform or control
processes associated with voice phone call, data communication, video
phone call, and the like. The control unit 130 may control the
information displayed on the display unit 120 according to input
directions. The input directions may include various reference axes in a
2D plane or 3D reference axes in a 3D space. For example, the control
unit 130 may display the information on an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis
that form the 3D space.

[0028] Specifically, according to an input signal of a user, the control
unit 130 may arrange and control the display unit 120 to display first
information in a first direction among the reference axes and second
information in a second direction in a radial pattern about the first
information. The radial pattern may be a pattern extending from a central
point in all directions. The first information and the second information
may classify and indicate information displayed on the mobile terminal
100. For example, when the mobile terminal displays a plurality of main
menus, a plurality of sub menus included in one of the main menus, and a
plurality of items included in one of the sub menus, the control unit 130
may arrange the plurality of main menus as the first information in the
x-axis direction, i.e. a first direction. If one of the displayed main
menus is selected, the control unit 130 may control the display unit 120
to display a plurality of sub menus included in or associated with the
selected main menu as the second information in the y-axis direction,
i.e. a second direction. The control unit 130 may control the display
unit 120 to repeat the displaying, and accordingly, the control unit 130
may control the display unit 120 to display items included in a selected
sub menu or a plurality of sub menus included in another selected main
menu as third information in the x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis direction,
i.e. a third direction, while the plurality of main menus, i.e. the first
information, and the plurality of sub menus included in the selected main
menu, i.e. the second information, are displayed.

[0029] If a plurality of cubes is arranged, the control unit 130 may
control the display unit 120 to display the second information on first
sides of the plurality of cubes. Although described herein as cubes,
aspects are not limited thereto such that information may be represented
as or on geometric prisms or surfaces or any other three-dimensional
shape or portion thereof. The first side of the cube is one side from
among the sides of the cube and may indicate a front side. When a fourth
signal to rotate the cube is input by the user, the control unit 130
rotates and displays the cube and displays fourth information on a second
side that is disposed at a position in which the first side has been
disposed before the rotation. The fourth information may include
selective information classified according to the same processes and
standards as those of the second information. For example, when a
plurality of sub menus of a selected main menu correspond to the second
information, the fourth information may include one of other sub menus of
the selected main menu and a plurality of items included in the selected
sub menu. In the same manner, the control unit 130 may display the second
information on a first portion of a three-dimensional rotation object,
rotate and display the three-dimensional rotation object, and display
fourth information on a second portion thereof, the second portion being
disposed at a position in which the first portion had been disposed.

[0030] The control unit 130 may control the display unit 120 to display
various animation effects for the displayed information. As an example of
the animation effect, the control unit 130 may control the display unit
120 to display information arranged in an image having a document or file
shape contained in a box. The displayed box is pushed or opened by a
drag, the documents included in the box are arranged, and information to
be displayed is positioned in the arranged documents.

[0031] Further, if third information is to be displayed by a third signal
while first information and second information are displayed by a first
signal and a second signal, respectively, the control unit 130 may
control the display unit 120 to display the third information while
removing at least portions of the first information and/or the second
information previously displayed or may control the display unit to
display the third information at areas in which the first information and
the second information are not displayed. The control unit 130 may fix
the displayed information according to an operation of the user, and the
control unit 130 may control the display unit 120 to display the third
information in areas in which no other information is displayed. In
addition, the control unit 130 may control the display unit 120 to zoom
in or zoom out a part or the entire of the display screen.

[0032] The control unit 130 may control the display unit 120 to display an
icon for directly executing an application allocated to each icon as well
as information displayed in reference axes directions on the display unit
120. Examples of the icon may include a home icon for directly entering a
basic reception waiting screen or a main menu display screen, an enter
icon for entering a particular menu, and a return icon for returning to a
previously executed screen. The control unit 130 may further include
additional information displayed in the reference axes directions on the
display unit 120. Examples of the additional information may include
information regarding axes of the displayed information and information
on a screen display ratio.

[0033] The control unit 130 may arrange information in an order set in
advance. In addition, when the memory unit 100 stores a use frequency of
information, the control unit 130 may control to arrange the information
in an order of descending or ascending frequency.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information in a three-dimensional pattern
according to an exemplary embodiment. The three-dimensional pattern may
be a radial pattern. Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile terminal displays
main menu information and sub menu information as first information and
second information, respectively. If a first upward drag (S210) in the
z-axis direction is input on the display screen of the mobile terminal,
the mobile terminal displays the main menu information (main menus 1 to
6), i.e., the first information, in the z-axis direction in an ascending
order according to a drag input signal generated in response to the first
upward drag (S210) in the z-axis direction. While the main menu
information (main menus 1 to 6) are displayed, if a right drag (S220) is
input in the y-axis direction from the main menu 2, the mobile terminal
displays the sub menu information (sub menus 1 to 3-1), i.e., the second
information included in or associated with the main menu 2 in the right
(positive) y-axis direction in an ascending order, according to a drag
input signal generated in response to the right drag (S220) in the y-axis
direction. While the main menu information (main menus 1 to 6) and the
sub menu information (sub menus 1 to 3-1) are displayed, if a second
upward drag (S230) is input in the z-axis direction from the sub menu
3-1, the mobile terminal displays detailed information (sub menus 3-1 to
3-6) associated with or included in the sub menu 3-1 (or third
information) in the z-axis direction in an ascending order according to a
drag input signal generated in response to the second upward drag (S230)
in the z-axis direction. If a rearward drag (S240) is input in the x-axis
direction from the main menu 4, the mobile terminal displays sub menu
information associated with or included in the main menu 4 in the x-axis
direction in an ascending order according to a drag input signal
generated in response to the rearward drag (S240) in the x-axis
direction.

[0035] The mobile terminal may further display an initial menu icon 211 to
move to or to activate an initial screen, a return icon 212 to enter or
to activate a previously executed menu, a ratio icon 213 to zoom in or
zoom out the display screen displayed in the three-dimensional or radial
pattern, and reference axis information 214 to display three-dimensional
or radial reference axes. The mobile terminal may display various types
of information in various manners depending on the direction of the input
signals and information processed by the mobile terminal.

[0036]FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information as rotatable cubes according to an
exemplary embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, first information is displayed
in the z-axis direction in an ascending order according to an input first
signal, and second information is displayed in the y-axis direction in an
ascending order according to an input second signal as previously
described. If a rotation drag (S310) is input in a counterclockwise
direction with respect to a main menu 4-1 311 of the first information,
the mobile terminal rotates the displayed cubes counterclockwise to
display a main menu 4-2 312 on the front side of the cube according to a
drag input signal generated in response to the rotation drag (S310). In
the same manner, when an upward rotation drag (S230) in the upward
direction with respect to a sub menu 2-1 321 is input, the mobile
terminal rotates the displayed cubes in the upward direction to display a
sub menu 2-2 322 on the front side of the cube according to a drag input
signal generated in response to the upward rotation drag (S320). A method
of displaying information depending on the 3D reference axes and a type
of the displayed information may be modified in various manners according
to various applications.

[0037] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams illustrating display screens of a
mobile terminal that displays information in various manners according to
exemplary embodiments. FIG. 4A illustrates the display screen of the
mobile terminal displays new information after removing at least a
portion of previously displayed information, and FIG. 4B illustrates the
display screen of the mobile terminal that displays new information in
areas in which the previously displayed information is not displayed.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 4A, first information (main menus 1 to 6) is
displayed in the z-axis direction in an ascending order according to a
first signal generated in response to a first drag (S410), and second
information (sub menus 5-1 to 5-7) is displayed in the y-axis direction
in an ascending order according to a second signal generated in response
to a second drag (S420). Here, the second information is sub menu
information included in or associated with main menu 5. If all of the
second information cannot be displayed in a same direction, i.e., along
the y-axis direction, due to limitations in a screen size, the display
direction is changed according to an operation or setting of the user to
display the remaining second information. As shown in FIG. 4A, the
display direction is changed with respect to the sub menus 5-4 to 5-7,
which are displayed in the z-axis direction. Thereafter, if new second
information (sub menu information included in or associated with main
menu 3) is to be displayed in the y-axis direction in an ascending order
by a third signal generated in response to a third drag (S430), an area
in which the third information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-3) is to be displayed
overlaps with an area in which the second information (sub menus 5-1 to
5-7) was previously displayed. Therefore, the mobile terminal may stop
displaying the previously displayed second information (sub menus 5-1 to
5-7) and display the new second information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-3) in the
y-axis direction in an ascending order.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 4B, first information (main menus 1 to 6) is
displayed in the z-axis direction in an ascending order according to a
first signal generated in response to a first drag (S450), and second
information (sub menus 1-1 to 1-3) is displayed in the y-axis direction
in the ascending order according to a second signal generated in response
to a second drag (S460). The second information is included in or
associated with the main menu 1 of the first information. Here, the first
information (main menus 1 to 6) and the second information (sub menus 1-1
to 1-3) may be fixed depending on an operation or setting of the user,
and if a third signal is generated in response to an input third drag
(S470), the mobile terminal may display new second information (sub menus
3-1 to 3-6) at an area in which the first information (main menus 1 to 6)
and the second information (sub menus 1-1 to 1-3) are not displayed. A
method of displaying the information and a type of the displayed
information may be modified in various manners.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of a mobile
terminal that displays information having an animation effect according
to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, the mobile terminal
displays first information (main menus 1 to 6) in the z-axis direction in
an ascending order according to a first signal generated in response to a
first drag (S510) and displays second information (sub menu 3-1 to 3-4)
in the y-axis direction in an ascending order according to a second
signal generated in response to a second drag (S520). The mobile terminal
may animate the second information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-4) such that a box
550 including the second information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-4) slides in a
direction of the second drag (S520) and displays contents of the second
information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-4) as files included in the box 550. The
mobile terminal slides a selected file (sub menu 3-3 as shown in FIG. 5)
upward according to a selection signal generated in response to a third
drag (S530) to further display detailed information on the selected
second information (sub menus 3-1 to 3-4) on areas of the files. An
effect of displaying the information and a type of the displayed
information may be modified in various manners.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for displaying information for
the mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to
FIG. 6, if a first signal is detected (S610), first information is
displayed in a first direction (S620), and if the second signal is
detected (S630), second information is displayed in a second direction
that is different from the first direction while the first information is
displayed (S640). The first information and the second information may be
displayed on a single or a plurality of cubes or on a rotation object,
and if a third signal that is a signal for rotating the cubes or the
rotation object is detected while the first information and the second
information are displayed (S650), the third information is displayed
after the figure, i.e., the cubes or the rotation object is rotated
(S660).

[0042] In addition, if the fourth signal is input while the first
information and the second information are displayed, a process of not
displaying the previously displayed first information or the previously
displayed second information and a process of displaying the fourth
information in a third direction may further be included. The third
direction may be a same direction as or a different direction from the
first and second directions.

[0043] Furthermore, if the fourth signal is input while the first
information and the second information are displayed, a process of
displaying the fourth information in a third direction at areas in which
the first information and second information are not previously displayed
may further be included.

[0044] The mobile terminal and the information display method using the
same are not limited to the configurations and methods of the exemplary
embodiments described above and may be configured to selectively combine
the entire or parts of the exemplary embodiments so as to implement
various modifications of the exemplary embodiments.

[0045] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended
that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this
invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and
their equivalents.